PRF88 Foreign Language Interpretation and Translation Services: This is a Statewide Contract (SWC) to provide high-quality, on demand, easy to use, and cost-effective telephonic interpretation, video remote interpretation (VRI), in-person interpretation, and document translation services for foreign languages from a wide array of independent, experienced, and qualified vendors.

Details specific to each Category may be further refined by the Buyer’s Statement of Work (SOW).

• Any changes to the SOW must be agreed upon by both the Buyer and the Vendor in writing.
• The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools is prohibited during telephonic, video remote, or in-person interpreting sessions for Category 1 and/or a Category 2 projects.
• The use of AI tools, including but not limited to the use of computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools (e.g. translation memory software, term bases, etc.), must be disclosed on the final product for Category 3 projects.

For the Master Contract Record, refer to the COMMBUYS MBPO 26-1080-OSD03-SRC02-38732.

Note: This contract may be used to procure the goods or services described herein at any dollar amount. Any limitations, including for procurements involving construction, are outlined in this Contract User Guide.

Benefits and Cost Savings

Statewide Contracts are an easy way to obtain benefits for your organization by: 

• Leveraging the Commonwealth’s buying power
• Simplifying the solicitation process
• Providing contracting expertise
• Enhancing vendor relationships through proactive management and oversight
• Offering competitive pricing
• Offering Prompt Payment Discounts (PPD), which is a percentage discount given to the buyer if the invoice is paid within a specified time, in accordance with the Commonwealth’s Bill Paying Policy

• Partnering with a pool of qualified and experienced vendors
• Accessing a wide range of environmentally preferable products and services
  

This contract includes three (3) categories of foreign language interpretation and document translation in one or more languages listed as follows:

• Category 1: Telephonic Interpretation and Video Remote Interpretation Services
• Category 2: In-Person Interpretation Services
• Category 3: Translation Services

See Appendix A for detailed category descriptions.

Please refer to the following list of products and services not available for purchase:

• American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and translation for Executive Agencies is covered by the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH) departmental contract MCD10 or its successor contract.
  • ASL may only be provided to Buyers who are not listed as Commonwealth Executive Agencies.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Interpretation: Awarded vendors may not utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI) and/or machine translation during telephonic, video remote, or in-person interpreting sessions for any purpose, including notetaking, transcription, and/or captioning.
  

The following is a complete list of the types of organizations generally allowed to use the Operational Service Division’s (OSD's) Statewide Contracts (SWCs). Some SWCs may be open to additional organizations, and some are more restricted in usage.

• Cities, towns, districts, counties, and other political subdivisions
• Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches, including all departments and elected offices therein
• Independent public authorities, commissions, and quasi-public agencies
• Local public libraries, public school districts, and charter schools
• Public hospitals owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
• Public institutions of higher education
• Public purchasing cooperatives
• Non-profit, UFR-certified organizations that are doing business with the Commonwealth
• Other states and territories and their cities, towns, districts, counties, other political subdivisions, and public institutions of higher education without prior approval from the State Purchasing Agent 
• Other entities when designated in writing by the State Purchasing Agent
  

Note: The price files and vendor catalogs are accessible through public view in COMMBUYS MBPO 26-1080-OSD03-SRC02-38732; therefore, buyers may access the price files and vendor catalogs without signing into a COMMBUYS account.

The pricing options are outlined as follows:

• Vendor Price File: Awarded pricing information may be found in each vendor's attachments within COMMBUYS. If a vendor is not honoring their discount pricing from the price file, the customer should contact the (Hayley Lebert or Tina Sang).
• Fixed Pricing: Pricing is fixed but further negotiations can be made.
• Ceiling/Not-to-Exceed: The contract's published pricing, including discounts, is a maximum price or 'not-to-exceed' limit and may be subject to further negotiation.
  • Rates for services may not exceed the predetermined rate cap in any service category.
    • Actual rates for services will be established on a project-by-project basis and agreed upon in the Buyer’s SOW, but will not exceed the rate cap.
  • Category 1 Remote and Video Remote Interpretation Services are to be billed at Vendor’s rate per minute for each language offered. There are no minimum billing hours for remote and video remote interpretation services.
  • Category 2 In-Person Interpretation Services are to be billed per hour with a minimum of either one (1) or two (2) hours. The minimum hours will be established in the Buyer’s SOW.
  • Category 3 Translation Services are to be billed at the maximum price per word for each language.

Buyers must solicit quotes when using this contract.

For purchases of $10,000 and above, Buyers are required to solicit a minimum of three (3) responses. This ensures a competitive bidding process and helps the Buyer find the best possible value for their purchase. A “no bid” response is considered an acceptable response.  

For purchases under $10,000, soliciting quotes is at the discretion of the Buyer. However, before making a purchase, Buyers should consult with their Chief Purchasing Officer or equivalent authority.

The purchase options identified below are the only acceptable options that may be used in this contract:

• Fee-for-Service contract

This contract provides for the following methods of purchase:

• Quote Solicitation: Buyers may solicit quotes from multiple vendors, award vendors, and place orders through COMMBUYS. A solicitation-enabled contract allows the buyer to solicit quotes from vendors who have Master Blanket Purchase Orders (MBPOs) or Statewide Contracts in COMMBUYS. The buyers may create a solicitation-enabled bid using a release requisition, converting the requisition to a bid, and then requesting quotes from eligible vendors.

Refer to the How to Request Quotes from Vendors on Statewide Contracts job aid for more details.

Note: MOSAIC and COMMBUYS do not interface. Payment request and invoice must be reported in both MOSAIC and COMMBUYS.

Performance and Payment That Goes Beyond Contract End Date

The extend beyond period is in place to allow performance and payment obligations under a contract to continue after the contract term has ended. This period is primarily used to aid the transition between an expiring contract and its replacement and to ensure the continuity in service delivery.

For extend beyond, the following stipulations are in place:

• Buyers may not enter into a written agreement that will go more than six (6) months beyond the maximum end date of the contract. Existing services may be completed and payments made during this period.
• No new agreements, including leases, rentals, or service contracts, may be made after the contract's expiration.
• Agreements established prior to the Master Agreement expiration may allow performance and payment obligations to continue until the maximum Extend Beyond date.
  

COMMBUYS is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' e-procurement platform, serving as a central marketplace for state agencies and other Eligible Entities to procure goods and services, connecting government buyers and businesses. It aims to streamline the purchasing process, ensuring transparency and efficiency in the procurement process.

For Executive Agencies, COMMBUYS is required. Per 801 CMR 21.00, Executive Agencies must use established Statewide Contracts (SWCs) for the purchase of products and services. To set up a COMMBUYS buyer account or to update an existing agency account, the buyers must contact the COMMBUYS Help Desk at: 888-627-8283 or OSDhelpdesk@mass.gov.

While COMMBUYS use is not mandated for Non-Executive Agencies and other Eligible Entities, it is highly recommended to streamline the procurement process and assist buyers in making informed purchasing choices. Eligible entities should follow their internal guidelines for COMMBUYS use.

Buyers can view contract documents on COMMBUYS without requiring a COMMBUYS account or logging in.  
To find contract documents in COMMBUYS, follow these steps:

1. On the COMMBUYS home page, enter PRF88 in the search tool and select Blankets from the drop-down list.
2. Select the Search icon. The related Master Blanket Purchase Orders (MBPOs) information opens in a table format. 
3. To view the associated contract documents, under the Blanket # column, select the applicable Purchase Order (PO) link. MBPO opens for the selected PO and the attachments can be found in the Agency Attachments or Vendor Attachments section. 

If applicable, to find vendor-specific documents, view the links to the individual vendor MBPOs on the Vendor Information page, and follow these steps:

1. On the Vendor Information page, select the applicable Purchase Order (PO) link. The Master Blanket Purchase Order (MBPO) opens for the selected PO.
2. If applicable, on the MBPO, scroll down to the Vendor Attachments section to find the vendor-specific documents.
3. To view, select the desired document link.

The Buyers must complete a detailed SOW when soliciting quotes. Buyers are encouraged to use the Time and Materials (T&M) SOW template in the Master Contract Record MBPO under the Agency Attachments section.

The following are examples of required information on the SOW (your organization may require more details):

• Scope of services
• Deliverables dates
• Location of service
• Detailed budget
• Estimated total costs
• Number of staff
• Rate(s) per hour

A sample SOW is available on COMMBUYS.

Please refer to the following guidelines:

• Executive Departments must use diverse and small businesses to the extent possible based on contract terms, Supplier Diversity Office (SDO), and departmental policies, laws, and regulations.
• The Small Business Purchasing Program (SBPP) applies to small procurements ($250,000 or below annually), while the Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) applies to large procurements (over $250,000 annually). Executive Departments must consider these requirements when soliciting quotes or issuing Statements of Work (SOWs).
• Operational Services Division (OSD) provides a list of SDO businesses through the Statewide Contract Index. Refer to the Programs (SDP and SBPP) tab on the index (scroll to view the tab).

• In cases where all other factors are equal, and particularly when adhering to a best value approach, the department will favor the vendor with stronger SDP commitment.
• For more information, refer to Best Value Evaluation of SDP Plan Forms: A Guide for Strategic Sourcing Teams.
• Vendor SDP commitment percentages may be found on the Vendor List table.

• If available, departments must notify at least two certified small businesses capable of providing the product or service. Bids received from SBPP-participating small businesses must be evaluated, and if one meets the department’s best value criteria, the contract must be awarded to that vendor.
• For more information, refer to Best Value Evaluation of Responses to Small Procurements: A Guide for Strategic Sourcing Teams.
• Vendor SBPP Certification status can be found on the Vendor List table.

The awarded vendor’s use of subcontractors is subject to the provisions of the Commonwealth’s Terms and Conditions and Standard Contract Form, as well as other applicable terms of this Statewide Contract (SWC). 

A Volume Discount is provided to the buyer if a certain volume of product or service is purchased.

Note: Vendor discounts are detailed in the Vendor List table and the price files within each vendor's Master Blanket Purchase Order (MBPO) or Master Contract Record MBPO.

Vendors on this contract may be required to provide products or services in cases of statewide emergencies. The 801 CMR 21.05(3) defines emergency for procurement purposes. Visit the Emergency Response Supplies, Services and Equipment Contact Information for Statewide Contracts list for emergency services related to this contract.

The vendor must provide at least one designated emergency contact who is available as close to 24/7 as possible. This ensures timely coordination in the event of urgent interpretation or translation needs, last-minute schedule changes, service disruptions, or other critical situations.

The emergency contact should:

• Be reachable outside normal business hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Respond promptly to urgent calls or messages.
• Have the ability to address service issues, coordinate staff, or escalate concerns as needed.

Vendors are strongly encouraged to provide a secondary (back-up) emergency contact to help ensure continuous coverage.

Emergency contacts will only be used for urgent or time-sensitive matters, such as last-minute requests, cancellations, no-shows, or unexpected service disruptions.

Vendors are responsible for keeping their emergency contact information up to date and notifying us of any changes.

The Vendor will provide technical support and customer service according to the following:

• Free Technical Support
  • All technical support is included at no extra cost for the life of the contract.
• Availability
  • Support should be available through a toll-free number, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time (EST) for the life of the contract.
• How to Request Support
  • The Buyer should be able to request help by calling the toll-free number provided by the vendor or using any approved contact method.
  • Upon receipt of a service request, the Vendor shall log the request and assign a tracking or case number.
  • A qualified support representative on the vendor’s side shall document the issue and begin initial troubleshooting during the first contact whenever possible.
• Remote Help
  • The Vendor will resolve all problems remotely by phone, online, or through remote access.
  • If the issue is fixed remotely, the Vendor will confirm with the Buyer and document what was done.
    

Vendors' performance is measured by several factors, including the following:

• Buyers provide actionable feedback on vendors for this contract to optimize performance through the Procurated platform. On the Procurated website, click "Search for a Massachusetts Vendor to Review", then search for the vendor by name and select them from the list. Once you enter your professional email address, you will be forwarded to the review screen.
• Buyers are encouraged to reach out to the Category Manager(s) (Hayley Lebert or Tina Sang) if vendors are not meeting their contractual obligations and buyers may be surveyed for vendor performance feedback.
• Vendors will be evaluated on their current performance and may be asked to work with the Commonwealth toward improvement.
• Vendors must meet all contractual requirements throughout the life of the contract, including requirements for timely and accurate report submission, to remain in good standing under the contract.
  

• Vendor sales reports will be reviewed each quarter by the Category Managers to determine the level of compliance with the requirements of the vendor’s Statewide Contract including Supplier Diversity Plan reporting, EPP reporting, and sales reporting.
• Vendors are expected to respond to all quote requests from Buyers with a response of “No Bid” or a firm quote.
• The Vendor must maintain a performance threshold wherein they do not exceed five (5) reports of inaccurate interpretation or translation within a three (3) year period. An inaccuracy is defined as any instance where the rendered language fails to convey the exact intent, tone, and technical meaning of the source language, or contains errors that impede clear communication between parties.
• To foster public accountability, the Vendor must ensure at least one (1) verified customer review is submitted to the Procurated platform per quarter. In the absence of a quarterly review, the Vendor must provide proof of a proactive marketing strategy demonstrating their efforts to encourage state and local government clients to provide performance feedback via the platform.
  • Provide actionable feedback on vendors for this contract to optimize performance through the Procurated Platform. On the Procurated website, select an OSD contract, choose Select, and then choose Provide a Review for the applicable vendor listed. 
    

For general procurement guidelines and best practices, follow these recommendations:

• Buyers should inform vendors to reference Statewide Contract PRF88 on all quotes and invoices.
• No prepayment should be made for products not yet delivered or services not yet rendered.
• No sales tax should be applied to invoices.
• No fees or surcharges (including travel, fuel, delivery) should be applied to invoices.
• Special order fees must be agreed upon by both parties upfront.
• Payments for products or services provided must be paid within 45 days per Massachusetts Bill Payment Policy, or sooner if applying Prompt Payment Discount.
• Buyers are not required to sign additional agreements with vendors that conflict with the Request for Response (RFR) Terms and Conditions. Contact the Category Manager(s) (Hayley Lebert or Tina Sang) for guidance. 
• Vendors must notify buyers of product substitutions.

To add a product or service to the list of eligible products or services sold under this contract, buyers must contact their Category Manager(s) (Hayley Lebert or Tina Sang) for approval. The new product or service requested must comply with the established specifications and scope of the contract.

When placing orders with a vendor, MOSAIC users must reference the contract ID number PRF88 in the Agreement ID field in MOSAIC for encumbrances related to purchases from Statewide Contracts. Please address all inquiries regarding MOSAIC technical support and job aids by emailing the Comptroller Help Desk or by calling 617-973-2468. 

*The asterisk is required when referencing the contract in the Massachusetts Management Accounting Reporting System (MOSAIC).

Category 1: Telephonic Interpretation and Video Remote Interpretation (VRI) Services

• Vendors must provide telephonic and/or video (ie. conference calling/video) services.
• Vendors must have the ability to provide pre-scheduled and/or on demand remote interpretation services.
• Vendors must be able to accommodate a minimum of (3) parties in a conference call/video at the standard per minute rate specified in the Cost Table/Price Sheet provided under this bid.
  • For VRI, Vendors need to be able to use relevant remote platforms as approved by the Commonwealth to carry out their functions.
• Vendors shall:
  • Comply with all Federal and State wiretapping and recording statues, including MGL Chapter 272, § 99 by not directly or indirectly monitoring, taping, intercepting, or recording conversations without explicit consent;
  • Comply with applicable laws and regulations relating to Confidentiality and Privacy;
  • Provide both scheduled and/or unscheduled telephonic interpretation services for non-English speaking individuals 24 hours a day and 7 days a week
  • Maintain an average monthly successful connection (to interpreter) time, for all languages provided, of 30 seconds or less;
    • Average connection time will be considered a KPI of a Vendor’s success.
    • Vendor must respond to incoming calls/requests for services within an average of 15 seconds (for a live agent) or 5 seconds (for an automated voice response system).
  • Provide, at no extra cost to the Buyer, a dedicated, toll-free number to access interpretation services;
    • All costs for toll-free access will be borne by the Vendor.
  • Provide a 24-hour, toll free Customer Support line attended by live representatives;
  • Provide interpreters that are pre-qualified, tested and trained for industry standard terminology and agree to adhere to the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard interpretation guide;
  • Prioritize emergency, time critical, and non-time critical calls; (i.e. hotline and emergency room, case worker in the field);
  • Provide an Account Team that is dedicated to support the activities provided under this initiative; and
  • Bill only for the actual time an interpreter participates on a call.
• Vendors shall not:
  • Require the Buyer to purchase or obtain a specific type of equipment to access telephonic interpretation services;
  • Utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI) during remote interpreting sessions for any purpose including but not limited to note taking, transcription, captioning, machine translation, etc.;
  • Charge for time required to set up the conference call prior to the interpreter joining the call and any continuation of the conference call once the interpreter has dropped off;
  • Terminate the conference call at any time before all parties to the call have dropped off, regardless of whether the services of the interpreter are no longer needed (i.e. the Vendor must maintain the conference call connection if at least 2 parties are still connected.).
    • There will be an announcement at end of call or VRI, so all parties can disconnect.

Category 2: In-Person Interpretation Services

• Vendors shall:
  • Arrive at least fifteen (15) minutes prior to the scheduled time of on-site scheduled appointment to receive any instructions from the Buyer, unless a Buyer has specified a longer period;
  • Take all necessary actions to obtain adequate transportation, accurate times, locations, directions, telephone numbers, contact person(s) and any other information or actions to ensure that they are present at the proper location at the time specified; and
  • Keep an accurate record of performance time to be certified by the Buyer at the conclusion of the appointment.
    • Performance time shall consist of the total time the Vendor is on-site performing services under the Statewide Contract.  This includes the time in advance of scheduled assignment (usually 15 minutes unless a longer period is specified), any time preceding actual performance that the Vendor is waiting to begin performance due to delays not caused by the Vendor; such as time required by the Buyer to answer questions, or to receive any additional instructions from the Buyer.
• Vendors shall not:
  • Arrive later than (15) minutes prior to the scheduled time of the on-site scheduled appointment;
    • Buyers may dock payment for the period Vendor was late from the total period of performance time.
    • Interpreter(s) who do not arrive for scheduled assignments will not be compensated.
• The minimum billable time for interpretation services will be determined through the SOW.
  • All in-person engagements have a minimum billable time of one hour, unless stated within the Buyer’s SOW.
  • Time beyond this agreed minimum will be billed in 15-minute increments.
• Upon request, Vendors may be asked to provide documentation about their interpreters’ vaccination history for specific engagements (ie. for specific engagements for the Department of Mental Health). Where provided, this information will be kept strictly confidential and will only be used for the purposes required.

Category 3: Translation Services

• Vendor shall:
  • Be capable of receiving Source Language documents by facsimile (FAX), e-mail, other electronic means (i.e. Microsoft Word, PDF or flat files, standard word processing languages, etc.), U.S. postal service, and/or courier delivery.
    • Typical delivery is expected to be by facsimile, e-mail, or other electronic means.
  • Review the Buyer’s SOW for the determined Source Language and Target Languages.
  • Provide all language translation services for languages or dialects at the per word rates of the Source Language as provided within the Cost Table/Price Sheet.
  • Deliver completed documents in both “Word” and “PDF” unless instructed differently within the Buyer’s SOW.
  • In expedited situations, Buyer’s SOW determines how written document translation shall be billed in terms of word count of the Source Language translation.
• Vendors may:
  • Provide proofreading/editing services of prior translations.
• Vendors shall not:
  • Charge a Buyer for corrections to a completed translation that are of no fault of the Buyer (ie. typing mistakes, contextual mishaps when the context was initially clear, etc.).
    • Quality Control issues must be reported to the Vendor within seven (7) business days of product delivery.
  • Utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI) and/or machine translation without a disclosure notice included.
    • Computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools (e.g. translation memory software, termbases, etc.) must be disclosed when used.